Logic control valve

ABSTRACT

A fluid logic valve device of the type having a fluid pressure supply port, an exhaust port, and an operating diaphragm member selectively subjectable to a control pressure, whereby the valve device may be employed wither as an AND device or as a NOT device by interchanging the fluid pressure supply and exhaust connections relative to said ports, and wherein the improvement comprises a pair of coplanar, concentrically arranged annular valve seats of different diameters and with which respective interchangeable valve elements are used to provide a high ratio of control pressure area to supply pressure area, for both the AND and NOT functions, and therefore insure positive, quick action of the device.

United States Patent Bachmann [451 Dec. 26, 1972 [54] LOGIC CONTROLVALVE 3,463,442 8ll969 Leskiewicz at n. ..l37l625.66 x

[72] inventor: Wilhelm Bachmann, Godshorn, Ger- 23:; many 3,646,9693/l972 Stamplli ..l37l625.66 x [73] Assignee: Westinghouse Brelnsen-undApparatebau, Gmbl-l, Hannover, Ger- Primary Y 'many AssistantExaminer-Robert J. Miller Att0rneyRalph W. Mclntire, Sr. [22] Filed:April 8, 1971 [21] Appl. No.: 132,383 ABSTRACT [30] Foreign u m priorityA fluid logic valve device of the type having a fluid I pressure supplyport, an exhaust port, and an operat- Apnl23, I970 Germany ..P 20 19650.3 ins diaphragm member selectively subjectable to a controlpressure, whereby the valve device may be [52] U.S.C| "137/269 employedwither as an AND device or as 8 N01" [51] llll. Cl ..Fl6k 11/02 deviceby interchanging the fluid pressure supply and [58] Field of Search..l37/269, 271, 625.27, 608, exhaus connections relative to said ports,and 137/625-66 wherein the improvement comprises a pair of 329-05;251/359 coplanar, concentrically arranged annular valve seats ofdifferent diameters and with which respective in- [56] References Citedterchangeable valve elements are used to provide a high ratio of controlpressure area to supply pressure UNITED STATES PATENTS area, for boththe AND and NOT functions, and 2,005,954 6/1935 Petersen et al...2Sl/3S9 X therefore insure positive, quick action of the device.2,829,674 4/1958 Segelhorst et al. ..1 37/504 X 3,4l 5,284 l2/l968Stampfli ..l37/625.66 9 Claims, 3 DllWlllg Figures a i I 23/ Y 22- r Bi6 I '17 3 27* l5 l l a 24 25 7 28 I4 26 9 LOGIC CONTROL VALVEBACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION As is well known to those skilled in the artrelating to fluid pressure operable logic valve devices, an AND deviceis one having two or more inlets all of which must be charged with fluidpressure simultaneously to produce an output at the outlet port, whereasa NOT device is one having a control port or inlet which functions toeffect an output at the outlet when the control port is void of fluidpressure. The invention herein dis closed, as above noted, concerns alogic valve device which, with certain modifications, may be used inconventional manner, either as an AND device or as a NOT device forcontrolling automatic machinery and drive systems therefor. A desirablecharacteristic of a logic valve device used for such purpose is that itresponds positively and quickly to a control impulse.

Although it is possible to convert an AND device to a NOT device simplyby interchanging the supply and exhaust connections, this does notnecessarily insure that the device, when used as a NOT device, willreact positively and sharply to a control impulse, or vice versa. Forexample, in one type of logic valve device, when a diaphragm providedtherein for operating a valve member is subject on one side, usuallycomprising a relatively large effective pressure area, to controlpressure supplied via a control port, an output is effected at theoutlet when the device is employed as an AND device. When the device isemployed as a NOT device, however, said device, in welLknown manner,responds to a control pressure supplied via the control port, to effecttermination of output at the outlet. Supply pressure provided via aninlet port normally acts in opposition to control pressure acting on therelatively large pressure area on the one side of the diaphragm and, inthe case of the AND device, such supply pressure usually acts on arelatively small pressure area of the valve member as compared to saidlarge pressure area of the diaphragm, so that a high differential ratiobetween the effects of the opposing pressures is obtained to insurepositive, fast action of the valve device. When the AND device isconverted to a NOT device, however, as above explained, the supplypressure, instead of acting on the small pressure area of the valvemember, is diverted to and acts on the opposite side of the diaphragmwhich is somewhat larger than said small pressure area of the valvemember, thus resulting in a reduction of the differential ratio betweenthe opposing supply and control pressures, which is not desirable inthat the positive, rapid response of the device is correspondinglyreduced.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The object of the invention herein disclosed,therefore, is to provide a fluid pressure operable logic valve devicecharacterized by means whereby the valve device is convertible for useeither as an AND device or a NOT device while still retaining a highdifferential ratio between opposing control and supply pressure areasfor insuring positive, quick action of the device.

Briefly, the invention comprises a fluid pressure operable logic valvedevice convertible for use either as an AND device or as a NOT deviceand including a diaphragm member to which one end of a valve operatingmember is secured for movement therewith, said valve operating member,in response to control pressure acting on a control pressure side of thediaphragm, being operable for effecting an output at an outlet port, inthe case of the AND function, and to effect effect termination of outputat the outlet, in the case of the NOT function. According to theinvention, a coaxial bore formed in the housing and in which the valveoperating member is reciprocably disposed, has formed at one endthereof, adjacent the operating diaphragm, a pair of coplanar,concentrically disposed annular valve seats, the smaller of which, incooperation with a first annular valve member carried by the diaphragmon the side adjacent the one end of the valve operating member, acts asthe exhaust valve when the device is used as an AND device, while thelarger valve seat, in cooperation with an annular valve member, largerthan and interchangeable with the first annular valve member and carriedby the diaphragm, acts as the supply valve when the device is used as aNOT device. The larger valve seat and valve element, in effect, reducesthe effective pressure area of the diaphragm on the valve side or theside opposite the control pressure side. Thus, such reduction of thepressure area on the valve side of the diaphragm results in maintainingthe relatively high differential pressure area ratio, notwithstandingthat supply pressure, which normally acts, when the valve device is usedas an AND device, on a relatively small pressure area comprising the endof the supply-exhaust valve member opposite that adjacent the diaphragm,is diverted to act on said valve side of the diaphragm when the valvedevice is used as a NOT device.

In the drawing,

FIG. 1 is a horizontal view, in outline, of one end of a fluid pressureoperable logic valve device embodying the invention;

FIG. 2 is a sectional view taken along line lIIlII of FIG. 1, as viewedin the direction indicated by the arrows, showing the logic valve deviceas an AND device; and

FIG. 3 is a sectional view taken along line IIlI of FIG. 1, as viewed inthe direction indicated by the arrows, of the logic valve devicemodified as a NOT device.

DESCRIPTION AND OPERATION As shown in FIG. 2, a fluid pressure operablelogic valve device 1 comprising an AND device (above defined) includesan upper housing section 2 clamped to a lower housing section 3 bysuitable means such as a plurality of bolts 4 with a diaphragm member 5peripherally and sealingly secured therebetween.

The lower housing section 3 has formed therein a control port 6, whichdoes not appear in FIG. 2, but may be seen in FIG. 3 of the drawing. Thelower housing section 3, as shown in the AND device in FIG. 2, isfurther provided with a fluid pressure supply port or inlet 7, anexhaust or atmospheric port 8, and a delivery port or outlet 9. Sinceall these ports open to a common surface, that is, the bottom surface ofthe valve device, as shown in FIG. 2, said valve device is convenientlyadaptable for mounting on a control panel (not shown) to which fluidpressure conduits (not shown) may be conveniently connected.

I06012 mite The upper housing section 2 cooperates with diaphragm 5 toform a control chamber connected to control port 6 via a passageway 11formed partly in said upper housing section and partly in the lowerhousing section 3, said diaphragm having an aperture formed therein andsituated such as to register with said passageway to permitcommunication therethrough between the two portions thereof formed inthe two housing sections, respectively. The diaphragm 5 separates thecontrol chamber 10 adjacent the one side thereof from an annular chamber12 formed adjacent the opposite side of said diaphragm in the lowerhousing section 3. Lower housing section 3 is also provided with acoaxial bore 13 opening at one end to annular chamber 12 and in which avalve operating member 14 is axially slidably disposed. The valveoperating member 14 has an annular groove 15 surrounding the outerperiphery thereof and communicating with a longitudinal channel 16formed on the outer surface of said valve operating member and open tothe bore 13. Groove 15 is connected with delivery port 9 via aconnection passageway 17 formed in lower housing section 3.

As viewed in FIG. 2 of the drawing, the upper end of the valve operatingmember 14 is secured to diaphragm S for movement therewith by havingsaid diaphragm clamped between a clamping plate 18 on the side adjacentcontrol chamber 10 and a valve plate l9 adjacent annular chamber l2, allof which are secured concentrically in assembled relation by a screw 20.An annular exhaust valve element 21 is secured to valve plate 19 as byvulcanization, for example, and is adapted for seating on the smaller oftwo annular coplanar valve seats 22 and 23 formed in concentric relationto each other and surrounding the adjacent end of bore 13 in lowerhousing section 3. The lower end of valve operating member 14 has avalve plate member 24 concentrically secured thereby by a screw 25, saidvalve plate having a valve element 26 secured thereto and adapted forseating on an annular valve seat 27 surrounding the adjacent end of bore13 opening into a chamber 28 into which inlet 7 opens. Valve element 26and valve seat 27 cooperate to function as inlet valve means in the ANDdevice and as exhaust valve means in a NOT device 29 shown in FIG. 3.

Outlet port 9, as above noted, is connected via connecting passageway 17and annular groove 15 to channel l6 which, as hereinafter hereinafter bedescribed, may be communicated with either port 7 or port 8. In the ANDvalve device 1 shown in FIG. 2, ports 7 and 8 are connected as supplyand exhaust ports, and, therefore, chambers 28 and 12 act as supply andatmospheric chambers, respectively. On the other hand, in the NOT valvedevice 29 shown in FIG. 3, ports 7 and 8 are connected as exhaust andsupply ports, and, therefore, chambers 28 and 12 act as atmospheric andsupply chambers. respectively. Aside from the fact that the supply andexhaust connections are reversed with respect to the ports 7 and 8, theNOT device 29 differs structurally from the AND device I only in therespect that said NOT device is provided with a valve plate 30interchangeable with valve plate 19 in the AND device 1, said valveplate 30 having secured thereto a valve element 31 of such diametricaldimension as to be seatable on the larger or outer valve seat 23 for thepurpose to be later explained.

In considering the operation of the AND device 1 shown in FIG. 2, itwill be assumed that supply port 7 is charged with fluid under pressureand that control port 6, and, therefore, control chamber 10, are void offluid pressure, in which situation valve operating member 14 occupies anexhaust position in which it is shown and in which valve element 26 isin a seated position on valve seat 27 to cut off flow therepast of fluidpressure supply prevailing in chamber 28 from supply port 7, while valveelement 21 is in an unseated position relative to valve seat 22 topermit outlet port 9 to be exhausted via passageway 17, groove 15,channel 16, annular chamber 12, and exhaust port 8.

When control chamber 10 is charged with fluid pressure via control port6, diaphragm 5, in response to such pressure, causes downward movementof the valve operating member 14 to a supply position in which valveelement 21 occupies a seated position on valve seat 22 to cut offcommunication of outlet port 9 with exhaust port 8, as above described,and valve element 26 is moved to an unseated position relative to valveseat 27 whereby fluid pressure from supply port 7 may flow via chamber28, channel 16, groove 15, and passageway 17 to outlet 9. Movement ofthe valve operating member 14 to its supply position is positive andwithout delay due to the fact that the area of diaphragm 5 subjected tocontrol pressure in control chamber 10 is much larger than the area ofvalve plate 24 subject to supply pressure in chamber 28. Moreover, suchpositive movement of the valve operating member 14 is also assured inthat the area within valve element 27, once unseated and exposed tosupply pressure, is greater than the area within valve element 21exposed to said supply pressure. Sufficient reduction of controlpressure in control chamber 10 effects, in well-known manner,restoration of the valve operating member 14 to its exhaust position inresponse to dominating pressure acting on the underside of valve plate24 and on the area or underside of valve element 21 within valve seat22.

In considering the operation of the NOT device 29 shown in FIG. 1, itwill be recalled that port 7 in this case is the exhaust port and port 8is connected to fluid pressure supply. As it appears in the drawing, thevalve operating member 14 is shown in a supply position in which valveelement 31 occupies an unseated position relative to outer valve seat 23so that supply pressure in port 8 (see FIG. 2) and therefore in annularchamber 12 may flow past said unseated valve element to outlet 9 viachannel 16, groove 15, and passageway 17, while valve element 26occupies a seated position on valve seat 27 to prevent exhaust of fluidpressure via chamber 28 and port 7.

When control chamber 10 is charged via control port 6 and passageway 11(see FIG. 3), such pressure acting over the larger area of diaphragm 5in chamber 10, is compared to the smaller area in annular chamber 12 onwhich supply pressure acts, is effective for moving the valve operatingmember 14 downwardly to an exhaust position in which valve element 31 ismoved to a seated position on valve seat 23 to cut off further supply offluid pressure to outlet 9, and valve element 26 is unseated from valveseat 27 to effect exhausting of fluid pressure from outlet 9 via chamber28 and port 7. A recess 32 formed in valve element 31 and communicatingwith bore 13 at all times prevents entrapment of lObOlZ fluid pressurebetween the concentric valve seats 22 and 23 when valve element 3] isseated on valve seat 23.

According to the invention and with the valve plate 30, which carriesthe valve element 31, installed in the NOT valve device 29, it should benoted that, when said valve element is seated on valve seat 23 andbecause of the larger area thus enclosed as compared to that enclosed byvalve element 21 when seated on valve seat 22, the underside area ofdiaphragm 5 subjected to supply pressure in annular chamber 12 iseffectively reduced. Thus, when control chamber is charged with fluidpressure, the pressure differential across the two sides of thediaphragm 5 is effectively increased to thereby provide positive, fastaction in moving the valve operating member 14 from its supply positionto its exhaust position.

Having now described the invention, what I claim as new and desire tosecure by Letters Patent, is:

l. A fluid logic valve device comprising:

a. a housing having:

i. a control pressure chamber,

ii. an atmospheric chamber,

iii. a fluid pressure inlet to which fluid pressure may be supplied, and

iv. a fluid pressure outlet from which fluid pressure may be delivered;

b. a resilient diaphragm member secured in said housing, said diaphragmmember being subject on one side to control pressure in said controlchamber and on the opposite side to opposing force of supply pressuresupplied to said inlet;

c. a valve operating member having one end secured to said diaphragmmember on said opposite side thereof for movement with the diaphragmmember and being reciprocably disposed in a bore formed coaxially insaid housing;

d. first valve means disposed partly on said one end of said valveoperating member and partly on one end of said bore adjacent thereto;

e. second valve means disposed partly on the opposite end of said valveoperating member and partly on the opposite end of said bore adjacentthereto,

f. said valve operating member being operable from a first position inwhich one of said first and second valve means cuts off communicationbetween said outlet and said atmospheric chamber, and the other of saidfirst and second valve means effects communication between said inletand said outlet, to a second position in which said one of said firstand second valve means effects communication between said outlet andsaid atmospheric chamber, and said other of said first and second valvemeans cuts off communication between said inlet and said outlet,

g. said valve operator being operable to one of said first and secondpositions in response to the force of fluid pressure in the inlet actingon said opposite side of the diaphragm member, and being operable to theother of said first and second positions in response to said controlpressure in the control chamber acting on said one side of thediaphragm;

and wherein the improvement comprises h. means for varying the effectivepressure area of said opposite side of said diaphragm member to providea preselected pressure differential across the two sides thereof foreffecting positive movement of the valve operating member from one tothe other, and vice versa, of said first and second positions thereof.

2. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized by passage means formed on the peripheral surface of saidvalve operating member via which said outlet may be communicated throughsaid bore to one of said inlet and said atmospheric chamber when saidvalve operating member is in the respective one of its said first andsecond positions.

3. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein saidmeans for varying the effective pressure area of said opposite side ofthe diaphragm member comprises:

a. a pair of annular valve seats of different diametral dimensionsconcentrically formed at said one end of said bore, and

. interchangeable annular valve elements coinciding in dimension withthe respective diametral dimen' sions of said annular valve seats, apreselected one of said valve elements being secured concentrically tosaid opposite side of said diaphragm member adjacent said one of thevalve operating member to provide the desired effective pressure area onsaid opposite side of the diaphragm member when said valve element isseated on the diametrally corresponding valve seat.

4. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein saidannular valve seats are coplanar.

5. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 3, furthercharacterized by a valve plate for mounting said annular valve elementin surrounding relation to said one end of the valve operating member,said valve plate being removably and abuttingly secured between said oneend of said valve operating member and said opposite side of thediaphragm member.

6. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein thelarger of said annular valve elements is provided with recess meansextending over the smaller of said annular valve seats to prevententrapment of fluid pressure in the space between the annular valveseats.

7. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 1, furthercharacterized by a control port formed in said housing, via whichcontrol pressure may be supplied to said pressure control chamber, andan exhaust port via which said atmospheric chamber is vented toatmosphere, said fluid pressure inlet, fluid pressure outlet, controlport and exhaust port each having a connecting end opening to a commonexternal plane surface of the housing.

8. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 7, wherein saidatmospheric chamber is disposed adjacent said opposite side of saiddiaphragm member with said one end of said bore opening thereto and withsaid first valve means controlling communication between saidatmospheric chamber and said bore.

9. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 7, wherein saidatmospheric chamber is disposed adjacent said opposite end of said valveoperating member with said opposite end of said bore opening thereto andwith I060?) (null 3 ,707, l 62 7 8 said second valve means controllingcommunication between said atmospheric chamber and said bore.

I! II I i t

1. A fluid logic valve device comprising: a. a housing having: i. acontrol pressure chamber, ii. an atmospheric chamber, iii. a fluidpressure inlet to which fluid pressure may be supplied, and iv. a fluidpressure outlet from which fluid pressure may be delivered; b. aresilient diaphragm member secured in said housing, said diaphragmmember being subject on one side to control pressure in said controlchamber and on the opposite side to opposing force of supply pressuresupplied to said inlet; c. a valve operating member having one endsecured to said diaphragm member on said opposite side thereof formovement with the diaphragm member and being reciprocably disposed in abore formed coaxially in said housing; d. first valve means disposedpartly on said one end of said valve operating member and partly on oneend of said bore adjacent thereto; e. second valve means disposed partlyon the opposite end of said valve operating member and partly on theopposite end of said bore adjacent thereto, f. said valve operatingmember being operable from a first position in which one of said firstand second valve means cuts off communication between said outlet andsaid atmospheric chamber, and the other of said first and second valvemeans effects communication between said inlet and said outlet, to asecond position in which said one of said first and second valve meanseffects communication between said outlet and said atmospheric chamber,and said other of said first and second valve means cuts offcommunication between said inlet and said outlet, g. said valve operatorbeing operable to one of said first and second positions in response tothe force of fluid pressure in the inlet acting on said opposite side ofthe diaphragm member, and being operable to the other of said first andsecond positions in response to said control pressure in the controlchamber acting on said one side of the diaphragm; and wherein theimprovement comprises h. means for varying the effective pressure areaof said opposite side of said diaphragm member to provide a preselectedpressure differential across the two sides thereof for effectingpositive movement of the valve operating member from one to the other,and vice versa, of said first and second positions thereof.
 2. A fluidlogic valve device, as set forth in claim 1, further characterized bypassage means formed on the peripheral surface of said valve operatingmember via which said outlet may be communicated through said bore toone of said inlet and said atmospheric chamber when said valve operatingmember is in the respective one of its said first and second positions.3. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 2, wherein saidmeans for varying the effective pressure area of said opposite side ofthe diaphragm member comprises: a. a pair of annular valve seats ofdifferent diametral dimensions concentrically formed at said one end ofsaid bore, and b. interchangeable annular valve elements coinciding indimension with the respective diametral dimensions of said annular valveseats, a preselected one of said valve elements being securedconcentrically to said opposite side of said diaphragm member adjacentsaid one of the valve operating member to provide the desired effectivepressure area on said opposite side of the diaphragm member when saidvalve element is seated on the diametrally corresponding valve seat. 4.A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 3, wherein saidannular valve seats are coplanar.
 5. A fluid logic valve device, as setforth in claim 3, further characterized by a valve plate for mountingsaid annular valve element in surrounding relation to said one end ofthe valve operating member, said valve plate being removably andabuttingly secured between said one end of said valve operating memberand said opposite side of the diaphragm member.
 6. A fluid logic valvedevice, as set forth in claim 3, wherein the larger of said annularvalve elements is provided with recess means extending over the smallerof said annular valve seats to prevent entrapment of fluid pressure inthe space between the annular valve seats.
 7. A fluid logic valvedeVice, as set forth in claim 1, further characterized by a control portformed in said housing, via which control pressure may be supplied tosaid pressure control chamber, and an exhaust port via which saidatmospheric chamber is vented to atmosphere, said fluid pressure inlet,fluid pressure outlet, control port and exhaust port each having aconnecting end opening to a common external plane surface of thehousing.
 8. A fluid logic valve device, as set forth in claim 7, whereinsaid atmospheric chamber is disposed adjacent said opposite side of saiddiaphragm member with said one end of said bore opening thereto and withsaid first valve means controlling communication between saidatmospheric chamber and said bore.
 9. A fluid logic valve device, as setforth in claim 7, wherein said atmospheric chamber is disposed adjacentsaid opposite end of said valve operating member with said opposite endof said bore opening thereto and with said second valve meanscontrolling communication between said atmospheric chamber and saidbore.